Foundation's goal: healthier school year for kids

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation is aiming to help students at 20 schools have healthier school years through its “Healthy Futures” initiative.

The three-year, $2.7 million program was established last year to improve child wellness in the Philadelphia region by providing schools with tools and resources to help children eat right, get fit and stay well. The foundations partners in the program are Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Union, the Vetri Foundation for Children, Greener Partners, Fit Essentials, Villanova University Center for Obesity Prevention and Education and InnerLink.

The Foundation will conduct a three-year study tracking changes in indicators such as body mass index; prevalence of chronic disease such as diabetes and high blood pressure; nutritional awareness and compliance with mandatory screenings to measure the results of the program.